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This article discusses similarities and differences between doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) and doctors of medicine (MDs) in the United States.
Holders of a DO are known as osteopathic physicians, while holders of an MD are sometimes referred to as allopathic physicians when a distinction is made, although this term is not universally accepted (and is considered pejorative by some).[1] There is disagreement on the extent of the difference between osteopathic and allopathic medicine.[2][3] According to the Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 22 ed., other than teaching manipulation, medical training for an osteopathic degree (DO) is now virtually indistinguishable from that which leads to the MD degree. Osteopathic physicians complete conventional residencies in hospitals and training programs; are licensed in all states; and have rights and responsibilities, such as military service, that are identical to MD qualified physicians and surgeons.[4]
